In modern digital satellite communication systems, a ground-based transmitter beams an uplink signal to a satellite positioned in a geosynchronous orbit. The satellite in turn relays the signal back to a ground-based receiver antenna installed at a customer site, such as a household or office.
Direct broadcast Satellite (DBS) systems allow households to receive digital television, audio, data, and video directly from a geosynchronous satellite. Each household subscribing to the system receives the digital broadcast signals on a satellite dish. The typical DBS home receiver includes an outdoor satellite antenna, usually configured as an eighteen inch diameter parabolic dish, and a television set-top decoder module, or an IRD. Cables link the antenna to the IRD and television. Wiring, switches and other distribution components are also included.
Customers, or subscribers, can install satellite receivers without professional assistance. However, more often, an installer is used to mount the satellite dish in a direct line of sight with the broadcast satellite. Once the dish is mounted, it should not need adjustment.
Once the dish is installed, fine tuning of the alignment is performed by using an on-screen signal strength meter built into the satellite receiver IRD. The installer adjusts the antenna position until the on-screen meter shows the signal strength and signal quality has been maximized.
Often satellite broadcasters rely on professional installers to properly install the systems at a customer site. Because the installers performance directly reflects the services of the broadcast provider, it is important to monitor and control the installation process. There is a need for a system and method to monitor and control the installation process.